Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee, part of the progressive Squad in Congress, easily defeated her Democratic challenger in the primary election. Despite a much-hyped battle over her early support for a ceasefire in Gaza, Lee emerged victorious. Her challenger, Bhavini Patel, had the support of Republican billionaire Jeffrey Yass but did not face the expected outside spending by pro-Israel groups like AIPAC. Patel’s attacks on Lee for not being loyal enough to Biden also failed, with Biden himself praising Lee during the campaign.
Lee warned that the tactics used against her in this election would likely be used against other progressives in the future, as opponents often resort to distorting their values. Progressives had braced for a tough reelection for Lee after AIPAC promised to unseat lawmakers critical of Israel, but they did not enter her race. Lee had previously criticized Israel’s military response to Hamas attacks, drawing accusations of antisemitism from Patel. Despite receiving financial support from Yass’s super PAC, the Moderate PAC, Patel ultimately fell short in her efforts to unseat Lee.
Yass, a Republican megadonor who may be considered for Treasury Secretary in a potential second Trump administration, provided significant financial support to Patel’s campaign. Lee, on the other hand, received endorsements from figures like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and ran ads criticizing Patel’s ties to Yass. Patel tried to paint Lee as unsupportive of Biden’s agenda, but a high-profile appearance by Biden at a rally in Pittsburgh where he thanked Lee debunked these claims.
Lee’s campaign was propelled by her success in securing infrastructure grants for her district and the support she received from progressive demands that Democratic party leaders back left-wing incumbents. Despite facing a challenger funded by a wealthy Republican donor and targeted for her stance on Israel, Lee’s popularity with Democratic voters ultimately secured her victory. The election outcome suggests that voters are increasingly turning against Israel’s Gaza offensive and that more support is being mobilized for progressive candidates within the Democratic Party.
